World record progression 50 yards freestyle

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The world record in the men's 50 yards freestyle is not an official record ratified by World Aquatics (previously FINA), which only recognizes records set in meters. Practically, the unofficial world record is now limited today to swimmers competing in the United States, as short course races in yards are only currently used for record keeping in the United States.

The list of United States records in swimming includes records in short course yards, including the "USA record", meaning the fastest time by an American swimmer, and the "US Open record", meaning the fastest time within the United States. The vast majority of records in the 50 yard freestyle in the past 80 years have been set at U.S. collegiate competition.

For the earliest records on this list, from the late 19th and early 20th century, it is not uncommon to see inconsistent news reporting about whether a recent time was a world record, and what the prior record was. [1] Interim records between those records reported in this list may exist and merit addition if supported by reliable sources. By the time Duke Kahanamoku swam 22.6 in 1923, the level of certainty in the progression of this list improves.

Mens 50 yard swim, one turn

#TimeNameNationalityDateMeetLocationRef
-28.2 James Tyers Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom July 1895Warrington Warrington, United Kingdom [2]
-27.4 James Tyers Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 29 August 1896Warrington Warrington, United Kingdom
-26.4 John Derbyshire Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 20 August 1898Exeter Exeter, United Kingdom [3]
-25.0 Alick Wickham Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands 9 January 1902East Sydney Club Carnival Sydney, Australia [4]
-24.6 Alick Wickham Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands 26 March 1904Public Schools Carnival Sydney, Australia [5] [4]
-24.2 Lewis Tod Solomons Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 12 February 1910 Lavender Bay, New South Wales Sydney, Australia [5]
-23.6 Alick Wickham Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands 19 February 1910Australia Sydney, Australia [6]
-23.4 Duke Kahanamoku Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6 August 1913San Francisco San Francisco, United States [7]

[8]

-23.0 Duke Kahanamoku Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1917Honolulu Honolulu, United States [9]
-22.6 Duke Kahanamoku Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6 June 1923Los Angeles Los Angeles, United States [9]
--22.1 Henry Kozlowski Flag of the United States.svg  United States 27 March 1943 1943 NCAA swimming and diving championships
(broke 20 year old record)		 Columbus, Ohio, United States [10]
--21.9 Dick Cleveland Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6 February 1954AAU Ohio Swim Championship Columbus, Ohio, United States [11]
--21.4 Steve Jackman Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3 March 1961Big 10 Swimming Championships United States [12]

[13]

--21.3 Steve Jackman Flag of the United States.svg  United States 30 March 1962 1962 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships United States [14]
--21.1 Steve Jackman Flag of the United States.svg  United States 30 March 1962 (later same day) 1962 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships United States [14]
--21.0 Steve Jackman Flag of the United States.svg  United States 7 March 1963Big 10 Swimming Championships United States [14]
--20.9 Steve Clark Flag of the United States.svg  United States 26 March 19641964 NCAA Championships New Haven, United States [15]
--20.81 Dan Frawley Flag of the United States.svg  United States 27 March 1969 1969 NCAA University Division Swimming and Diving Championships Bloomington, Indiana, United States [16]
--20.7 Dan Frawley Flag of the United States.svg  United States March 1969-- Bloomington, Indiana, United States
--20.5 David Edgar Flag of the United States.svg  United States 17 January 1970Meet at U.S. Naval Academy Annapolis, United States [17]
--20.4 David Edgar Flag of the United States.svg  United States ---- United States
--20.23 David Edgar Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4 March 1971SEC Championships Tuscaloosa, United States [18] [19]
--20.06 John Trembley Flag of the United States.svg  United States 28 March 1974 1974 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships Long Beach, California, United States [18] [20]
--19.70 Joe Bottom Flag of the United States.svg  United States 24 March 1977 1977 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships Cleveland, United States [21]
--19.36 Robin Leamy Flag of the United States.svg  United States 26 March 1981 1981 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships Austin, Texas, United States [22] [23]
--19.32 Matt Biondi Flag of the United States.svg  United States 28 March 1985 1985 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Austin, Texas, United States [24]
--19.24 Tom Jager Flag of the United States.svg  United States 28 March 1985 (later same day) 1985 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Austin, Texas, United States [24]
--19.22 Matt Biondi Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4 April 1986 1986 NCAA Division I men's swimming and diving championships Indianapolis, United States [25]
--19.16 Matt Biondi Flag of the United States.svg  United States 2 April 1987 1987 NCAA Division I men's swimming and diving championships Austin, Texas, United States [26]
--19.15 Matt Biondi Flag of the United States.svg  United States 2 April 1987 (later same day) 1987 NCAA Division I men's swimming and diving championships Austin, Texas, United States [26]
--19.05 Tom Jager Flag of the United States.svg  United States 23 March 1990United States Short Course National Championships Nashville, United States [27] [28]
--18.74 Frédérick Bousquet Flag of France.svg  France 24 March 2005 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Minneapolis, United States [29]
--18.69 Cesar Cielo Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 15 March 2007 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Minneapolis, United States
--18.47 Cesar Cielo Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 27 March 2008 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Seattle, United States
--18.39 Caeleb Dressel Flag of the United States.svg  United States 17 February 20162016 SEC Swimming & Diving Championships Columbia, Missouri, United States [30]
--18.23 Caeleb Dressel Flag of the United States.svg  United States 17 February 2016 (later same day)2016 SEC Swimming & Diving Championships Columbia, Missouri, United States [31]
--18.20 Caeleb Dressel Flag of the United States.svg  United States 24 March 2016 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Atlanta, United States [31]
--18.11 Caeleb Dressel Flag of the United States.svg  United States 22 March 2018 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Minneapolis, United States [32]
--17.81 Caeleb Dressel Flag of the United States.svg  United States 22 March 2018 (later same day) 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Minneapolis, United States [32]
--17.63 Caeleb Dressel Flag of the United States.svg  United States 22 March 2018 (later same day) 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Minneapolis, United States [32]

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References

  1. ↑ (27 February 1907). Swimming Notes, Sydney Referee (reporting that a New York newspaper stated C.M. Daniels had the world record in the 50 yards at 25 2-5 and was trying to break it, "ignor(ing) the fact that there is patch on the globe called Australia" and that Alick Wickham actually held the world record at 24 3-5 sec., and that Len Murray's recent swim was also better than Daniels')
  2. ↑ (9 September 1895). Swimming, The Evening News ("Towards the end of July he broke the 50 yards world's record at Warrington, covering the distance in 28 1-5sec. This is 1-5th of a second better than the previous existing record")
  3. ↑ Spaulding's Athletic Almanac, p. 35 (1903)
  4. 1 2 (27 March 1904). Wickham Lower the 50 Yards Record, The Sunday Sun ("Alick Wickham, the South Sea Islanders, was in splendid form, and succeeded in lowering the world's record for 50 yards (his own), which he put up at the East Sydney Club's carnival on January 9, 1902, when he covered the distance in 25 sec.")
  5. 1 2 (18 March 1910). Local and General News, The North-China Herald
  6. ↑ (21 February 1910). A Record Broken, Sporting News ("At the Rose Bay Club's swimming carinval yesterday, A. Wickham established a new record for 50 yards. He covered the distance in 23 3-5 sec., which is 3-5 of a second better than T. Solomon's performance.")
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ (19 August 1913). How Champion Broke Three At One, Honolulu Star-Bulletin ("A. Wickham is now the ex-world's chamption for fifty yards. His record was made in Sydney, and was 0:23 3-5, one-fifth of a second slower than Kahanamoku swam last night.")
  9. 1 2 (8 June 1923). KAHANAMOKU SETS RECORD; Lowers Own 50-Yard Free Style Swin Mark to 22 3-5 Seconds, The New York Times ("Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaiian swimmer, last night established what was announced as a new world's record for the 50-yard freestyle dash, when he swam the distance in 22 3-5 seconds. The previous record of 23 seconds flat was Kahanamoku's own, established at Honolulu in 1917.")
  10. ↑ Northwestern Frosh Smashes Freestyle Mark, Akron Beacon Journal ("slashing .5 seconds from a world record that had stood 20 years. ... The mark was set in 1923 by Duke Kahanamoku of Hawaii and matched in 1934 by Peter Fick.")
  11. ↑ (7 February 1954). Swimming Mark Set By Dick Cleveland, Ohio State Standout, Cincinnati Enquirer ("Ohio State's Dick Cleveland today broker the American 50-yard freestyle record ... in 0:21.9, breaking the previous record which he tied last year, of 0:22.1. The old record was set by Hank Koslowski of Northwestern in 1943. There is no recognzied world record for this event.")
  12. ↑ (4 March 1961). Records Set by Troy, McKinney: I.U. Leads, Indianapolis Star
  13. ↑ (6 March 1961). Does the U of M Have a New Swimming Champ?, The Daily Journal (Associated Press story) ("Nobody has ever covered the 50 faster than Jackman did last Friday night in the Big Ten meet at Columbus.")
  14. 1 2 3 (31 March 1962). Ohio State Nears NCAA Swim Title, The Journal Times (Associated Press story) ("Jackman broke the 50-yard freestyle record, both intercollegiate and NCAA, twice. The old mark of 21.4 seconds was made by Jackson in last year's Big Ten meet here, and the NCAA standard -- the same -- was authored by Michigan's Frank Legacki in 1961... The Gopher great wheeled through the qualifier in 21.3 to break both, then took the final in 21.1.")
  15. ↑ (27 March 1964). Four N.C.A.A. Marks Powered In Title Swim at Yale, The New York Times
  16. ↑ (28 March 1969). Spitz, Hickcox Make Splash, Indianapolis Star
  17. ↑ Edgar Sets Swim Record, Fort Lauderdale News ("Dave Edgar of Tennessee bettered the listed NCAA record for the 50-yard freestyle Saturday, swimming the distance in 20.5 seconds during a dual meet with Navy. The Tennessee sophomore, from Fort Lauderdale, clipped two-tenths of a second off the 20.7 clocking set by Sam[sic] Frawley in 1969.")
  18. 1 2 (24 March 2005). Fred Bousquet, the Barrier Basher, Swimming World
  19. ↑ (5 March 1971). UT Swimmers Lead SEC, "The Jackson Sun" ("David Edgar of Tennessee finished the 50-yard freestyle at 20.234 seconds to break his own world record of 20.4 seconds.")
  20. ↑ (29 March 1974). Swim Marks Fall ("Tenneesse's John Trembley sprinted to an American record of 20.06 ... beat the old mark of 20.23 set in 1971 by David Edgar of Tennessee...")
  21. ↑ (4 April 1977). Bottom Was on Top in Very Fast Company, Sports Illustrated ("his searing 19.70 in a morning heat being the first sub-20-second clocking in history.")
  22. ↑ (29 March 1985). Cetlinski and Biondi Shatter American Records in NCAA Swim Meet, Los Angeles Times
  23. ↑ (27 March 1981). NU Swimmers sixth, Lincoln Journal Star ("UCLA's Robin Leamy swam the 50 free in :19.36 to set U.S. Open, American and NCAA marks. Old records were held by Auburn's Rowdy Gains (:19.8, U.S. Open, American, 1980) and USC's Joe Bottom (:19.7 NCAA, 1977)")
  24. 1 2 (29 March 1985). Pre-meet favorite Stanford was in the spot that is..., UPI
  25. ↑ Litsky, Frank (6 April 1986). Biondi Is Trying to Do Better Than His World-Record Year, The New York Times
  26. 1 2 (3 April 1987). NCAA Men’s Swimming Championships : USC Leads Meet; Biondi Sets American Record, Los Angeles Times
  27. ↑ (7 March 2005). The 50-Yard Freestyle: Searching for That Sub-19 Clocking, Swimming World
  28. ↑ (24 March 1990). Swimming, The New York Times ("Jager Sets Record: Tom Jager outdueled Matt Biondi in the 50-yard freestyle last night at the United States Short Course National Championships in Nashville, breaking Biondi's three-year-old American record. Jager's time of 19:05 seconds bettered Biondi's previous mark of 19:15.")
  29. ↑ (25 March 2005). World record broken at NCAA swim meet, Tampa Bay Times
  30. ↑ (17 February 2016). Gators swimmer Caeleb Dressel sets American record again, News4Jax
  31. 1 2 (25 March 2016). Florida’s Caeleb Dressel Swims Fastest 50 Yard Freestyle In History, Stadium
  32. 1 2 3 Zaccardi, Nick (23 March 2018). Caeleb Dressel shatters 50 freestyle record, goes sub-18 twice, NBC Sports
#TimeNameNationalityDateMeetLocationRef
-31.8 W.B. Izard Flag of the United States.svg  United States 20 May 1893--- ---, United States(straightaway in open still water) [1]
-31.0 David Gaul Flag of the United States.svg  United States 15 August 1903--- ---, United States(straightaway in open water, no turn) [1]
-28.0 Zoltán Halmay Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 6 September 1904 1904 Olympics St. Louis, United States [2]
-24.2 Duke Kahanamoku Flag of the United States.svg  United States 12 August 1912Hawaii Chapter of the AAU Honolulu, United States(straightaway in open water, no turn) [3]
-24.0 Duke Kahanamoku Flag of the United States.svg  United States 11 June 1913Honolulu Honolulu, United States(straightaway in open water, no turn) [3]
-23.0 Duke Kahanamoku Flag of the United States.svg  United States 11 June 1915Honolulu Honolulu, United States(straightaway in open water, no turn) [4]
  1. 1 2 (13 June 1901). Gaul Lowers American Swimming Record for 50 Yards Straightaway, Philadelphia Inquirer
  2. ↑ (7 September 1904). New World's Records, The Tennessean
  3. 1 2 Duke Kahanamoku, Outrigger Canoe Club, Retrieved 15 March 2024
  4. ↑ Spalding's official athletic almanac (1917-18), p. 27
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